Claudio Andrade
02/05/2021 11:52
Clarín.com
Society
Updated 02/05/2021 11:55
While the fire in El Bolsón, which has already consumed around 7,500 hectares, remains uncontrolled, a strong controversy arose in the town due to the statements of the Deputy Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Nation, Sergio Federovisky, who justified the level of the operation in the zone assuring that "well, it's Argentina."
"In El Bolsón they want to kill him", is the phrase that runs through the offices of the local municipality and also the streets of the mountain town where the smoke and the smell of burning are already felt.
Federovisky also compared the national structure to fight fires with that of Spain, Australia, Portugal and the United States, claiming that in the First World "they are also short of resources."
After recalling that there are delicate situations in Corrientes and the north of the mountain range Patagonia, the official alluded to the structures that developed countries have that face these scenarios on a daily basis.
“There is a fantasy that the national state has unlimited resources.
Even in countries where there would apparently be unlimited resources, there are critical fire situations that are sometimes worse than those that occur in Argentina.
Let us remember the fires in Australia, New Zealand, in Portugal, in the United States, Spain, I am not comparing (…) If countries with that economic size have such difficulties to face the fire, it means that it is a problem ”, Federovisky stressed to Radio Six from Bariloche.
The official “challenged” the mayor of the town, Bruno Pogliano, for having requested new lines of help from the Nation to combat the advance of the flames that are located meters from the houses in the Unión and El Mirador neighborhoods, 11 kilometers from the urban area.
"It seemed inappropriate to me, I think there are things much more urgent to resolve
today on the ground than a dispute of these characteristics," said Federovisky, in relation to the request for help made by Mayor Pogliano to Nación in a sentence that points to the alleged intentionality local official policy.
Pogliano had demanded the arrival of a greater number of planes and brigades since the current structure is not enough to contain the development of the phenomenon.
In addition, signs of exhaustion have been reported from the Splif among the personnel on the front line.
"Nor do we believe that the presence of the officials is extremely relevant," said the vice minister, responding to one of the requests of the residents who met this Thursday at the gates of the municipality.
"They are not lacking means, perhaps it is not the ideal amount, but hey, it is Argentina," he
acknowledged.
"Each and every one of the springs and resources that the national State has have been made available to the province and the Municipality to fight the fire in El Bolsón," the environmental agency later stressed in a statement.
Federovisky announced that
a third helicopter will be added to the work
shortly
and that his ministry has processed with the ANAC the authorization of another 2 aircraft.
At present, the operation consists of 2 hydrant planes, 3 helicopters, two road machines and some 200 brigadistas from Splif, Volunteer Firefighters, and agents from Córdoba, Neuquén and Chubut of the National Fire Management Plan.
"At this moment, after so many days of exhausted brigadistas trying to contain the fire in the Cuesta del Ternero area, that it is said that the national state has to send reinforcements, seemed relatively unfair to me," insisted the deputy minister.
The senator and former governor of Río Negro, Alberto Weretilneck, responded strongly to national officials.
“It would be prudent for Minister Juan Cabandié (Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development of the Nation), instead of insulting and disrespecting the authorities and the community of El Bolsón, to redouble his efforts to put out the fire that has the Province.
He should put himself in the shoes of the neighbors who can lose everything, ”Weretilneck wrote on his Twitter account.
Also the former mayor of El Bolsón, Oscar “Cacho” Romera, had harsh words for Nación.
“National officials have no idea what a fire is in the Comarca.
They are pure chatter.
During my tenure, Canadian planes were rented to Chile and the fires were put out quickly.
Here there may even be a little business with those small planes that are hired.
It is not the quality, it is the quantity.
Boys break their backs fighting and that is not enough.
They left the mayor alone and even challenged him for having asked what was due, "he told
Clarín
Romera.
“Here you don't have to ask, you have to demand.
Pogliano is doing what is humane to get help.
National officials speak very well but in practice they do not do things the way they have to.
They are useless, "he added.
At this time the combat operation is focused on the so-called sector 2, on one of the slopes of Cerro Pilquitritón and in the populated areas of the Unión and El Mirador neighborhoods.
The high temperatures make the panorama complex.
Between 37 and 38 degrees maximum are expected for this Friday.
Temperatures above 30 degrees will continue until next Thursday.
"The fire danger index shows very high and extreme values for the entire region," said a statement from the Splif.
From the NASA map, which is kept up-to-date on the internet, the presence of 2 large outbreaks and 3 smaller ones between Los Repollos and Cuesta Ternero, just about 10 kilometers from the urban area of El Bolsón, stands out.
GL
Look also
The El Bolsón fire is approaching the populated areas and the neighbors already feel the smoke
A week of fire between El Bolsón and El Maitén: how the forest fire continues
